The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-27
DISEASE GERMS In WATER.
Hundreds of Bad Wells in the City That
Should Be Condemned and Filled Up.
The County Medical Society Strongly Urges
the Municipal Authorities to at Once In
crease the Force of Sanitary Officers.

DR.. j. w. Hervey sometime ago read before
the Marion County Medical Society a paper
| on the water supply of Indianapolis. which
ELECTED lively discussion and resulted in
the appointment Of a committee to consider and
recommend method of lettering the city's
water supply as we'll as its general sanitary con.
dtion. This committee presented its report at
the last meeting of the society, in which they
say:
'Your committee is Of the opinion that what
ever is done must be done through the medium
and under the leadership of the Board of Health.
county or city. or both; and that the work of
this society or of its committee ought to be as
far as possible to sustain and assist any such
official effort But there is difficulty in the
way not easy to overcome This must be re-
moved before even the Board OF Health with all
our assistance can do anything. The Board of
Health OF this city is not supplied with a
sufficient number Of sanitary officers to
enable it TO do anything except to
give the most hurried attention to a few of
the most pressing sanitary wants of the city
Before the Board of Health will be able to give
any attention at all to the water supply, or
mako any general sanitary survey of the city
that will be OF any value. the Council must be
induced TO give them sanitary force sufhclent
in numbers and efficiency to do more than serve
vault notices. We have this city about 500
miles Of streets and alleys, population of over
loo, COG, and of sixteen square miles.
For the sanitary supervision of all this territory
the Board of Health rs allowed one sanitary Of
fcer. To expect anything like proper sanitary
supervision with such force would be so pre-
posterous as to be worthy only the mind OF an
idiot.
s'The Board of Health is being censured at
every turn for what they do not do, when that
they are anie to do anything at all is matter of
surprise. Back yards and back alleys are reek.
ing in filth, and hundreds of wells in this city
are within ten to fifty feet of vaults, but no in
designations can be made for want of sanitary
force to make 1t.
Hundreds of tenements in the city. for pub
lie protection, ought to be placed under strict
sanitary control. the vaults and wells examined
condemned and filed up The occupants OF
tenements are not the only ones that suffer, but
they are suffering more than others. and are
more likely to suffer from bad sanitary condi-
tions and defective water supply.
Some steps -gnt to be taken, and taken as
soon as possible, to compel landlords to put tene-
ments in proper condition. and properly furnish
them with pure water. This only be accom-
p.ished by making these people realize that in
many places disease and death are lurking in the
water they and their children are drinking
What be done with our sanitary police
mani You will each answer. I'VE are quite sure,
next to nothing The FIRST STEP then. Is educa-
ton. The general public must be made
to fully understand what the danger is.
and what is necessary to be done to avoid it.
We are impressed with the belief that this can
not be done by making appeals to the City Coun-
Gil, although appeals ought to be made, nor by
resolutions in this society; otherwise a few we'll
directed resolutions well worked up 10 might do
some good. We are of the opinion that this
society OugnC TO appear III some way eulF6ctly Id
those who are in the most danger. We think 1t
may be taken for granted that no one will know
ingy and willfully remain. or allow his family to
remain In a situation of great danger. In a
certain way the public recognizes the benefits of
proper sanitation, but as mass they have not
been made to fully realize its importance, and
that might have been and ought to
have been prevented-they fail to the
relation that exists between their
sanitary surroundings and the deaths
90 mo-
deaths that occur each year are the result of
causes that ought to be and can be removed and
the knowledge places upon the profession a cor
responsibility. 1t is the most diff
cult work to rescue one from danger who does
not appreciate the fact. who does not know that
he is in danger and who. when you try to show
hi his danger stares at you in blind Incredibly
or smiles in derison. takes you for crank, or
imae.nes you have some selfish scheme In the
Your committee are of the opinion that it is
proper and right, and likely to result in the
greatest amount of good to appeal directly to the
selfish interests of those who are subjected TO
the most danger. If this can be done. those who
are now ignorantly adding to the dangers that
surround them might be induced to aid In correct
ing existing sanitary evils.
1--WE suggest for the consideration of this So
ciety the passage of a resolution directed to the
Board Of Police of this city, calling attention to
the inadequacy Of the sanitary force, and rec
ommending and urging-even demanding-that
30 far thu law will allow them, it be made ad
equate to the necessities of the city.
I'VE further suggest that steps be taken to-
ward holding public meetings. with the object OF
the public of the general sanitary con-
itjon of the city, and for the purpose of direct
ing public thought to the subject.
your committee are of the opinion that.
when public sentiment and public opinion Will
ask and support il, our City Council and Board
Of Aldermen will go for in the right direction
IS the law will allow"
The committee presenting the report consist
ID of Drs. Flavius j. Van Vorhis, J. W. Hervy,
E. S. Elder. S. E. carp. The report was unan-
mously adopted by the society.